Published by the Pirate FM News Team at 8:07pm 1st June 2020.

By Richard Whitehouse, Local Democracy Reporter

Plans to build 24 homes on an “ugly and derelict” site which has laid empty since the 1970s have been approved.

Simon Clarke had applied to Cornwall Council for planning permission to build the new houses on land at Foundry Yard off Cansew Road in Hayle.

The site already has planning permission for three shops as well as outline permission for a mixed use development as part of the wider Hayle Harbour plans. However both those proposed developments have not moved forward.

Under the plans there will be a mix of two and three-bedroom properties, said to be contemporary in design with a mix of render and brick materials.

No affordable homes are proposed for the site but a contribution of £84,777 would be provided towards affordable homes elsewhere in Hayle.

Local resident John Bennett, who was also part of the Hayle neighbourhood plan steering group, objected to the plans and told councillors he believed they went against planning policy.

He was supported by Hayle Town Council which was concerned about the development being in the World Heritage Site area and the low financial contribution for affordable homes. The town council said the contribution should be closer to £1 million.

Mr Clark addressed the concerns and said the World Heritage Site team had raised no concerns about the proposals.

He also said the site would be expensive to develop as it will have to be decontaminated. For that reason it would not be viable to provide more money for affordable homes.

Mr Clarke said: “It has long been an eyesore for the area. It will provide much needed housing for Hayle.”

The applicant added that other than the objections from Mr Bennett and the town council there had been no other objections to the plans.

Local Cornwall councillor Graham Coad said he fully supported the plans.

Explaining that Hayle is his hometown he said: “I have always known this site to be derelict.

“Photos I took of the site in the 1970s show this site has been ugly and derelict for at least 50 years.

“It (the plans) seems to me to be an appropriate alternative use of this site. It is a good development in a good layout and is good planning.”

Committee member Sue Nicholas said she had no objection to the plans but was concerned about the lack of green space in the plans.

She, supported by other councillors, called for the developers to have to place some trees or plants – in pots if necessary – around the site.

Councillor Mark Kaczmarek added: “I think this will benefit the whole area. I would fully support this, the local members support it and a lot of local people support it.”

However John Martin said the site was “the gateway to Hayle” and he did not think the designs were “good enough for Hayle”.

He was backed by councillors Mike Thomas and John Bastin who were also concerned about the designs and the materials chosen.

When put to the vote a proposal to approve the plans was agreed with 10 votes in favour, two against and one abstention.

via https://www.piratefm.co.uk/news/latest-news/3114849/housing-plans-approv...